Etymology

motivity

M3O1T1I1V4I1T1Y4

Today it means: The power to cause movement, especially as an inherent mental faculty. Full definition →

First used 17th c.English motive ← Middle English motif ← Late Latin mōtīvum
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The story

  1. Anglo-Normanmotif
  2. Middle Frenchmotif
  3. Proto-Indo-European*m(y)ewh₁-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*m(y)owh₁éyeti
  5. Proto-Italic*moweō
  6. Latinmoveō
  7. Latinmōtus
  8. Late Latinmōtīvum
  9. Middle Englishmotif
  10. Englishmotive
  11. English todaymotivity

From motive + -ity.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 17th c. The power to cause movement, especially as an inherent mental faculty.
  • from 19th c. Driving force, drive; creative power, invention.
  • from 19th c. Movement, mobility.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.